JoJo

Nobody becomes a one-name celebrity overnight. Ringo played drums in dive bars, Beyonce was in Carmen: A Hip Hopera, and Jean-Georges - who now has more than 35 restaurants around the world - started at a stuffy French spot in a brownstone on the Upper East Side. It’s been around since 1991, but recently closed, and after updating the space and menu, reopened as a place that feels like a nice date spot in the West Village. The French-leaning dishes are still excellent, like the roasted chicken with crispy skin and perfectly cooked meat. But no matter what entree you order, make sure to start with the crab dumplings, which have dough that basically dissolve when you bite into them.